


Untitled (One Shot)

by jairyn



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Best Friends, Brotp, F/M, Jedi, Snips - Freeform, Star Wars - Freeform, skyguy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-11 01:06:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15304053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jairyn/pseuds/jairyn
Summary: Ahsoka’s been away from the order for a few months, but she misses her master and her best friend. She’s forced to watch his decline on the holonews and finally she reaches out to him in hopes she can save him before it’s too late.





	Untitled (One Shot)

It’s been a year since Ahsoka left the temple, she misses him.

“Ahsoka?” His voice came through the comm. Even the staticky, mechanical version made her shiver. In just one word, she’d been able to hear everything she needed to know; he was tired, things weren’t going well, he missed her… she missed him too. That’s why she was calling. Also… she was worried about him.

Just because she wasn’t a Jedi anymore, didn’t mean she no longer cared. “Are you on Coruscant?” She asked. He was silent for a moment, she held her breath. She didn’t hear blaster fire in the background. It was the middle of the night, she hadn’t really expected him to answer if he was here. She heard some shuffling.

“Are you okay?” He asked finally. 

“Yeah.” She said, wondering if he could hear the loneliness in her voice. Just like she’d heard all of that from him. Another long pause. She wondered just how to explain to him why she’d called him. 

“Meet me at these coordinates.” He said, punching a readout through the communicator. He knew. He always knew. She relaxed again. Had she really thought he’d forget how to hear her? He was the only one that really got her. 

“Okay.” She said, tapping it off again. She took a deep breath. Maybe she’d been afraid he wouldn’t care anymore. But obviously, that wasn’t the case.

The diner was dimly lit, and mostly empty at that hour. One other patron on a bar stool at the other end of the room. They slipped into a booth near the door. Their greeting had been a little awkward, she’d felt his pain and anger about her leaving him. She supposed she should be thankful he was even talking to her. She had trouble looking up at him. She didn’t feel so fearless right now. 

They each ordered something to munch on when the waitress came around, but otherwise sat in silence. She felt a little guilty pulling him out of bed just to stare at each other. But his presence was comforting, even with the wound between them now. She saw him glance around to see if anyone was in earshot and lean towards her. “Are you in some kind of trouble?” He whispered.

She shook her head numbly, wondering why she had the sudden urge to fall apart on him. He reached across the table and set his hand on hers. She closed her eyes, swallowing hard. He didn’t ask anymore questions. She could feel his senses reaching out, she didn’t even bother to pull away. Maybe he could make more sense out of what she was feeling than she could. He let go of her and sat back as the waitress returned with their food. 

She risked a furtive glance up at his face. He was staring out the window as though lost in thought. She picked up a piece of her food and took a bite. It was too greasy to be delicious, but she chewed on it anyways. She traced the lines of his face with her eyes, wondering when the last time he got a decent night of sleep was. The bags under his eyes were darker than normal. She hoped she wasn’t responsible for that.

The trial and subsequent departure had all happened so fast. She had no chance to explain to him what she’d been feeling or even how scared she really was. How scared she still is. She haunted the holonews everyday for word on the status of the war, but more importantly, for news about him. He was the reporters’ favorite subject, it was the only time she was grateful for their obsessive need to talk about the ‘chosen one’. But she never listened to their commentary, she listened to what they weren’t saying. They weren’t saying how he was. They weren’t telling her if he missed her. They couldn’t report how he felt about the Jedi or his views on politics. No, every report of him was glowing. The hero with no fear. What a stupid nickname. He was brave, it was true. He was a grand strategist and a compassionate leader. But he wasn’t fearless, he’d never been fearless. 

She watched the other patron pay their bill and leave. “Anakin?” She whispered. He turned his head slowly to look at her. It had started raining outside, at first she hadn’t been sure if it was a tear running down his cheek or a reflection of the weather. 

“This war is killing me.” He said, his tone low and hollow. 

“Me too.” She said, unsure of how to comfort him. What could she do to change anything? He looked down at his food, absentmindedly playing with it. She sat forward. “Run away with me.” She whispered before she could stop herself. Heart racing in her chest at just how crazy she sounded. Would he do it? Would he save himself?

He stared at her a moment, no surprise registered on his face. His long wavy hair fell around him like a halo. The weight of everything he was told to be, as oppressive and life-sucking as an Anzat. She’d taken the first step, she’d left the door open for him. He hadn’t followed like she’d hoped. But if he refused her now, the door would close forever. She stared up at him earnestly, unblinking; challenging him to take the step, to free himself.

But as the minutes ticked away, she was starting to lose faith that he would. Then she noticed his eyes change. It had been so subtle at first, she’d thought it was a trick of the light. Her own were ready to boil over from the stare she refused to give up. Maybe they were playing tricks on her. Without a word, he pulled out a stack of credits, dropped them on the table to pay for the food they’d hardly touched and beckoned her to follow him.

She raced after him in the pouring rain. His pace was fast and deliberate. She felt the rain soaking through her tunic, he’d at least had the sense to wear a robe. They came to a taxi station and he held the door for her. The cab was open to the air, so once they sat down, he pulled his arm out of the robe and wrapped it around her too. Huddled against him under it, she felt excitement building in her. For the first time since she’d left the order, she wasn’t afraid. She glanced up at his chin, he was staring straight ahead; jaw set… the immovable object she knew him to be. He was why. Whenever he was next to her, she felt like she could take on the world. 

At the Jedi temple she stood at the top of the stairs she’d used to exit before. He’d left his robe with her. She stared across the city trembling. Would she miss it? She looked over her shoulder at the temple. Did she miss it? She turned slowly taking it in. She’d once thought it was breathtaking. The four peaks rising one on each corner, the middle one rising above to symbolize a higher understanding and purpose. In the dreary rain, it was gloomy and haunting. It reminded her of the prison with which she’d escaped from before. Now they were escaping together. Assuming he came back. 

Her eyes flew up to the central tower, blinking as the rain fell across her face. She couldn’t see anyone in the council chambers from this far away, but for a split second, she felt as though she was being watched. A torrent of rain flew across the building like a tidal wave; a giant shadow that enveloped the light. Anakin was running towards her, but it felt as though the shadow was chasing him. 

She burst into a run, racing to him. Her instincts firing on full alert. It was just the weather playing tricks on her, but logic didn’t stop the feeling. She flew into his arms so hard, they crashed to the ground rolling. Her eyes were closed in concentration, throwing up the force shield around them. The intensity with which the darkness hit her shield, felt like a battle zone bombardment. It took every ounce of energy she had to hold it off.

She barely registered the surprise on his face before collapsing on top of him, completely drained. Had he seen it? Did he know what all that was about? Or had he simply been surprised at her actions? She didn’t have time to find out, her brain fogged and her lids were suddenly heavy. She hoped what she’d done was enough.

—

She felt warm and safe, which was not at all how she’d felt after the last thing she remembered. She opened her eyes, but couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing. Wherever she was, wasn’t familiar to her. She reached out with her hand first and senses second. 

They hit a wall. No, it wasn’t a wall. It was breathing. She saw him more with her hands than her eyes. He was laying with his back to her, but protecting her even in his sleep. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she realized they were on a public shuttle. He’d somehow managed to cordon off a corner with his body so that she could sleep protected from the other passengers between him and the hull of the ship. 

His energy was defensive, as though he’d laid down giving off a vibe even non force sensitives would respond to. She smiled, letting herself relax. Sleeping in public is something she’d never considered before, but again… with him there, she wasn’t so scared. She didn’t want to disturb him, he needed the rest. But she was grateful they got away from whatever it was she’d witnessed at the temple. 

She didn’t want to worry about it now, she just wanted to put one foot in front of the other and get far away from everything for awhile. She knew they couldn’t escape the war, and likely, inaction and idleness would drive him crazy. But for now, for awhile… they could take a break. They could learn to breathe again. Feel the force, maybe where it wasn’t so clouded. The future didn’t scare her nearly as much as the present. But they’d survive. She knew that for sure. She knew it, because they were together again. And that’s what they did best.

Anakin was on his feet suddenly, moving towards the front of the shuttle. She was right behind him because she’d felt it too. “Drop out of hyperspace, now!” He ordered the droid pilot. When it argued, he pulled out his lightsaber to threaten it and then reached past it for the lever.

Ahsoka turned to the other passengers. “Everyone hold on!” She said, gripping two seats. The shuttle, shuddered violently as Anakin pulled it out. It spun for a few moments, several people screamed. There was a baby crying in the back. Ahsoka did her best to calm them down. She glanced over her shoulder at Anakin who was studying the ships radar and ignoring the droid’s protests.

“Republic shuttle 2-5-7-4-5-9, calling Coruscant.” Anakin leaned over the communicator. “Separatist forces are amassing in the Arkanis sector near Tatooine. There appears to be a droid control ship, two light destroyers and five municifent-class frigates. I repeat Separatist forces are amassing in the Arkanis sector near Tatooine. There appears to be a droid control ship, two light destroyers and five municifent-class frigates.” Ahsoka admired how quickly Anakin had jumped into the fray even when they weren’t on a mission. She supposed that was just what he did, and she would do it too.

She turned back and looked at the passengers now huddled together in small groups, their fear almost palpable. “It will be okay.” She reassured them.

After clicking off the comm, Anakin spoke directly to the pilot. “As soon as the escape pod is away reroute the shuttle to Naboo. And await word that it is safe to proceed to Tatooine.” The droid agreed and he brushed past her to their corner and picked up his robe and the pack she had no idea when he’d picked up. She followed him to the escape pod and climbed in behind him without asking questions. He hit the release and they both watched the shuttle turn and jump to hyperspace. She breathed a little easier knowing at least the civilians will be safe, though she wasn’t so sure about them. 

As he punched the buttons turning the pod back towards Tatooine, she set her hand on his shoulder. She realized for the first time since she’d asked him to run away with her, that every day was going to be an adventure, many will probably be a bloody fight for their lives. So much for relaxing. Connected to the Jedi temple or not, they were both Jedi at the core; neither of them could just stand aside and do nothing. Today, it was protecting a shuttle full of civilians, tomorrow could be something else entirely. That was if they lived that long. She glanced up at the light destroyer they were headed straight at.

“Feeling adventurous, Snips?” He asked, smirking to hide his mental battle prep. The odds were against them. But to her surprise, she was ready. For a moment, it felt like old times, when nothing was too daunting or too much. She hadn’t loved the battles or their costs, but she’d thrived in them. Being in the element, surrounded by the force, feeling unstoppable; it was the Jedi equivalent to stimulants. This is what they lived for; to do the impossible.

“You bet!” She flexed her fingers. 

“I figured you’d say that.” He said, picking up his pack and pulling out her lightsabers. She stared at them in disbelief, turning them over in her hands as their familiar weight comforted her. 

“This is why we stopped at the temple?” She asked, not ungrateful. 

“Yep.” He said simply. She threw her arms around his shoulders, kissing the side of his cheek and then she let go. He hadn’t tensed when she’d touched him, actually, he’d seemed to enjoy it. It was just a little weird to fall so easily back into old habits. “Do you remember back on Kiros, when you promised me we’d travel around the galaxy freeing slaves?”

“I do.” She replied. How long ago that seemed. 

“Well, I was thinking… it won’t be easy not being backed by the Jedi. Or the senate for that matter… but if you’re still willing…?” He trailed off, falling silent. She studied the side of his face. He was still the same man she’d known and loved. But there was something different about him now. He didn’t seem so heavy. Maybe it was a sense of freedom, maybe it was relief. Maybe it was something else entirely. But she felt him and what he was saying. He needed this. Not just to rescue the helpless souls, but to also feel as though he’s rescuing himself. After years of slavery and servitude, he wanted to break the bonds that held him captive in his brain. He wanted, for once in his life, to feel in control of the situation.

“Right beside you, Skyguy!” She said, clapping him on the shoulder. He grinned for the first time since she’d known him; the most genuine smile she’d ever seen. The need she’d sensed in him might very well get them killed. But as long as she went down by his side, everything she’d fought for will have been worth it.


End file.
